A local author's newest book is about a young boy wanting to keep something special – a gift that can potentially break apart the life he's known, and let in a whole new world of possibilities.
But the question is: will he be allowed to keep that gift?
Between Shadows, by Kathleen Cook-Waldron, is set to be released in May.
The Cariboo resident is the author of numerous books for younger and older children. Her newest book is aimed at readers eight years old and up.
The story is told in the first person, in the voice of a young boy named Ari, whose beloved grandfather has died and left him an inheritance – his log cabin and all the land he owned. It's a beautiful, meaningful place, something Ari wants to explore and hold on to.
However, the property is also a prime piece of real estate, and Ari's dad and aunt have plans to sell it to a luxury hotel developer to solve the family’s money troubles.
“It's really about family and family legacy,” the author says of Between Shadows. “It seems like everything I write boils down to family and the importance of family.”
Writing a book is always a big learning experience, and it's nice to see the finished product after eight or nine years of writing it, she adds.
Cook-Waldron will sign copies of Between Shadows at Nuthatch Books on Birch Avenue at 1 p.m. on May 9. Everyone is invited.
The author adds a helpful message to anyone wanting to write: hard work is the key.
“If you enjoy it, keep working at it. When I started, I thought for gifted writers it just flowed through you. If you were talented, you got it the first time.
“But I've come to believe, like in sports, the people who are the most talented are the ones who work the hardest.”
Visit kathleencookwaldron.com for more about the author.